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Canada legalizes cannabis: October 17th, 2018

It's a rough start, but we are at the very beginning. Look at the selection in a liquor store... they surely didn't look like that the day alcohol prohibition ended. It's easy to find things to complain about, but it should be put in perspective. We are the first developed country to try anything like this. Drug reformers from around the world are looking at us enviously. Don't let shortages and a small initial selection get you down! It just means we get to look forward to it getting better.

If you're unhappy because Big Business is taking over the industry, all I can say is: that's how legal industries work. Why would cannabis have been an exception?
 
SheWasLvL18 said:
Just wanted to say thanks for keeping us all updated those pictures were cool.
As far as packaging goes I think it looks nice, but I do wish you could see what you're buying. Though it could be worse, in Florida you can only buy medical weed in pre-packed "vapor" pods. So if you want to actually smoke the weed you have to get a hammer, break the pod, and scrape out the already ground weed lol
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The flower pods suck but the extracts, oil vape carts, and tinctures are pretty good. I haven't got to try their shatter yet though. Their distilitte comes in a nice syringe making it perfect for squirting out on a dabber. I already switched over to extracts before I got mmj so I didn't mind but still like smoking flowers occasionally.
 
Here's an interesting comment from Health Canada, in a story about medical-cannabis supply issues:

In an email to CBC, a spokesperson for Health Canada said that at the end of September 2018, licensed producers had reported that they had inventory of more than 90,000 kilograms of dried cannabis and 41,000 litres of cannabis oil.

"In contrast, preliminary estimates of retail sales to date from publicly available information, while strong, represent only a small fraction of that available inventory," the agency said.
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Sounds like the shortages around the country are due more to logistics and transportation issues than to low inventory.
 
Certainly things will improve, I am just curious as to the logic of opening so few stores in BC. And all the shops I frequent are still illegally open, despite the minister’s promise to shut down. And no, legal business does not have to be big business. See the hundreds of craft breweries around? That is what I hope for cannabis. Sure Arora and Tilray or whatever they are called, will be there, but the folks who literally planted the seeds of this industry are not likely to be the biggest reapers. Oh well, ironing we go.
 
DrumTripper said:
Certainly things will improve, I am just curious as to the logic of opening so few stores in BC.
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I think it was more a matter of lack of preparedness than intention. Ontario had the same issue, but they at least had a recent change in government as an excuse. I'm not sure what B.C.'s excuse is...

And no, legal business does not have to be big business. See the hundreds of craft breweries around? That is what I hope for cannabis.
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I don't mean that it will only be big business, but it does tend to be dominant. For example, two multinational corporations, Anheuser-Busch and Molson Coors, have nearly 70% of the market share for beer in Canada. Ideally, there will be room for both large and small players in the cannabis industry as there is in the beer industry - but as smaller players gain in popularity, they often get acquired by the larger ones.
 
Ontario's private cannabis retailers open their doors on April 1, and here are the rules
National Post
November 14th, 2018

TORONTO -- The Ontario government has released regulations that will guide the startup of private cannabis stores on April 1.

The stand-alone stores can be open any day between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m., but they must be at least 150 metres away from schools and bar entry to anyone under 19 years old.

A market concentration limit of 75 stores per operator has been set.

Until April, cannabis can only be legally purchased from the online Ontario Cannabis Store.
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Read the full story here.
 
I finally tried some OCS nugs, underwhelming is the most charitable thing I can really say about it. The fact that it can't match the black market nugs at least on quality, if not price as well, is disappointing. There has already been a recall for mouldy nugs amongst the OCS wares, although the nugs I got were so very dry. It's been many years since I've had such craptacular product.

Worst of all is the weird limit on how much you can order (less than an oz, IIRC), which is reminiscent of the bad old days of LCBO when they would tally how much alcohol you would be allowed to buy. No discount by volume, either!
 
thujone said:
I finally tried some OCS nugs, underwhelming is the most charitable thing I can really say about it. The fact that it can't match the black market nugs at least on quality, if not price as well, is disappointing. There has already been a recall for mouldy nugs amongst the OCS wares, although the nugs I got were so very dry. It's been many years since I've had such craptacular product.

Worst of all is the weird limit on how much you can order (less than an oz, IIRC), which is reminiscent of the bad old days of LCBO when they would tally how much alcohol you would be allowed to buy. No discount by volume, either!
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If you want the 'best' that the Canadian legal market has, then I would recommend Broken Coast. But the price is obscene. Generic 1/8's are reasonable in price. Half of what I've purchased has been overly dry. One odd, bright spot is that pre rolled 0.5g joints are no more expensive than buying the gram and rolling yourself, All of the stores look like the interiors of doctor's offices :)


Tom
 
Yeah that's the issue, for better stuff the cost is nuts. What annoys me the most is the limit and no bulk discount. I can't imagine how they thought this would work, muscling into an established market and not even bothering to do due-diligence on the competition?

I'll be looking forward to seeing some historical sales data, really curious to see just how many people tried OCS then immediately went back to their old dealers.
 
Yeah or the number of medical patients (totally separate program) who have dealers to back them up because they can't even get people their medicine they are so dumb in the head apparently and supposedly leading the country. I could have sketched this up with a group of stoners in a day... and written it off as the dumbest shit ever. It's not legal yet.
 
Canada loves its people! Of coarse Medical marijuana should be legalized, and it does come with dangers, but have you seen what alcoholics and smokers look like? It has medical benefits unlike tabacco and can cause the same if not less the amount of physical and mental destruction. We already have alcohol which ,when intoxicated with, can cause serious damage.
 
It has been harder for me to get weed since it became legal, that is why I won't consider it legal until I can walk into a nearby dispensary not any further away than the average beer store. I've managed, but I feel like a 15 year old again driving around to grab quarters and having to make that connection. It's a rush though I don't mind it having been a dope fiend this is probably better for me. Nobody's gonna hassle me over weed and yeah it keeps the hustle going so I don't mind. It's also just way cheaper with a good connect and I smoke through a lot and don't often have the time to wait. Impatient with my herb when I'm low.
 
Quebec takes hard line on cannabis with bill raising legal age to 21
Jocelyne Richer
CTV News
December 5th, 2018

QUEBEC -- The Quebec government tabled legislation Wednesday that would impose the strictest cannabis controls in the country, raising the legal age to 21 and outlawing consumption in public.

The Coalition Avenir Quebec government campaigned on the promise to increase the age, and it followed through with a bill that would also see consumption prohibited in all public places, including parks and streets.

Lionel Carmant, the junior health minister, said he is worried about the effects of cannabis on the still-developing brains of young adults.

He told a news conference that studies have shown cannabis can cause damage to brain neurons until age 25, and he personally would have preferred setting the limit at 25.

The goal is to "delay the first consumption as much as possible," Carmant told a news conference at a Quebec City high school. He said he rejects the "fatalistic argument" that the higher age limit will push teenagers and young adults to illegal sources like criminal organizations.
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Read the full story here.

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Marlboro maker places $2.4B bet on Canadian marijuana company
CBC
December 7th, 2018

Marlboro maker Altria Group Inc. will invest $2.4 billion in Canadian cannabis producer Cronos Group Inc. -- marking a major foray by Big Tobacco into the pot sector -- as the global market for weed continues to grow.

The Virginia-based parent of the company behind Marlboro, Parliament and other cigarette brands will acquire a 45 per cent ownership stake in Cronos with the initial investment announced Friday.

Altria can also invest up to a further $1.4 billion within four years that would increase its ownership stake in the Toronto-based pot producer to 55 per cent under the arrangement.

"Altria brings scale, expertise and complementary capabilities ... that we believe will enable us to expand the scope and enhance the scale of our company," Mike Gorenstein, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Cronos, said on a call with analysts Friday.

Cronos will remain a Canadian company, headquartered in Toronto, Gorenstein said.
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Read the full story here.

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'Do they want the tax money?': Small pot growers find municipal roadblocks on path to microcultivation licences
Laura Kane
National Post
December 9th, 2018

...Boissonneault and Gallagher now run a handful of small legal medical grow-ops in British Columbia and are among the "craft" producers who hope to use their skills in the fledgling recreational market by getting a new licence for microcultivation.

But would-be applicants are discovering a major hurdle in their way: obtaining municipal approval and zoning, a key requirement of the licences. Many cities have not established zoning and either aren't ready or are reluctant to allow microcultivation, growers say.

Small growers say the federal government failed to educate municipalities about the new licences and the need to create zoning to support them. As a result, they say, applications are delayed, the legal supply chain is beset with shortages and the illegal market continues to flourish.

"The spirit (of microcultivation licences) was to get the small growers involved and to get the black market to convert over to the new market," said James Walsh, president of the BC Micro Licence Association. "In reality we're just not seeing it."

Ottawa began accepting applications from microgrowers on Oct. 17, the same day it legalized recreational weed. The licences cover 200 square metres of plant canopy, allowing a premium cannabis producer to make up to $3 million in gross revenue a year, Walsh said.
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Read the full story here.
 
Although not intentionally done, the effect of Quebec raising the age of consumption from18-21 will drive these individuals to the black market. If they can’t purchase legally, then they will purchase illegally (as has always been done up until October 17th).

Off topic; but I would like to see Health Canada lighten up with respect to advertising and/or branding. Currently there is nothing that distinguishes one ‘brand’ from another.

Tom
 
Health Canada has come out with draft regulations for the next wave of cannabis products: edibles, extracts, and topical formulations.

It looks like pretty much every kind of product one could think of is going to be allowed, including:
- any type of extract (hash, shatter, THC crystals, etc.);
- THC produced synthetically;
- pretty much any kind of food (although meat is only allowed if dried);
- any kind of drink (but not combined with alcohol);
- coffee and tea;
- alcohol tinctures (only up to 7.5 g of total liquid per package); and
- vape pens and cartridges.

Foods and drinks can have natural caffeine (e.g. teas, coffee, chocolate) up to 30 mg per package, but no added caffeine or nicotine.

Food and drink items can only have up to 10 mg of THC per package. I imagine this is going to be the biggest complaint.

Extracts can be sold with up to 1 gram of THC per package. So, for example, you could buy up to 2.5 g of a 40% extract, or 1 g of 99% THC crystals.

If you don't feel like reading the entire document, check out this table which summarizes the new rules.

The publication of these draft regulations kicks off two months where Health Canada will be taking feedback, so feel free to send them your ideas!
 
Went into a weed store on Monday and asked for Sativa or Indica’s over 20% THC. None. No ounces, 1/2’s, 1/4’s or 1/8’s. just single grams. No pre rolls. Walked out of the store w/o a purchase, went home and ordered from an online dispensary (black market).

Just this week, one of the two LP’s that reside in Winnipeg got caught selling black market weed. They had purchased 200kg in another province, stored it in their Winnipeg warehouse and were selling it until one of their own employees blew the whistle to Health Canada. Seems as if the black market stuff failed a pesticide check. The board of executives were fired and the license to produce/sell has been suspended.

Tom
 
S.J.P. said:
Health Canada has come out with draft regulations for the next wave of cannabis products

Food and drink items can only have up to 10 mg of THC per package. I imagine this is going to be the biggest complaint.
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Absolutely love that a chocolate bar can contain 10 mg THC. For the entire bar. Not only will this be a big complaint; it is unworkable. 10 mg THC per individual piece is more reasonable.

Tom
 
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